Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Mr. Gaffey. As he will be aware, we recently had an opportunity to hear quite a comprehensive, if pessimistic, presentation at our committee from Dóchas, led by Jane-Ann McKenna, its CEO, Caoimhe de Barra from Trócaire, David Regan of Concern, and Siobhan Walsh, the CEO of GOAL. The picture they painted for us was one of dire circumstances in Sudan. Acknowledging the work that Irish Aid does and following on from what Mr. Gaffey said in reply to Deputy Stanton, Irish Aid is limited in what it can do to ensure a cessation of hostilities. That said, there are issues that Mr. Gaffey might be in a position to address us on, for example, the safety of humanitarian workers with regard to their safe passage or passage of humanitarian aid.

Will he comment on the implementation of international humanitarian law? We see from time to time decisions being made on the human rights situation coming from the UN in Geneva. He sees the situation on the ground along with our NGOs. How confident is he in the implementation of humanitarian law? We read and see on our screens the restricted nature of access by road, access from ports to central areas and the day-to-day logistical issues that arise in the delivery of humanitarian aid.

A strong message given to us related to urgent humanitarian funding, acknowledging that there is a critical need for increased funding. That is a message that the witnesses and the Department of Foreign Affairs hear on a daily basis, as does the Minister and this committee in our deliberations as a parliamentary committee charged with responsibility for scrutinising budgets. Our ask on an annual basis, pre-budget, is for increased funding. There is a critical need in Sudan for such increased funding. Rather than dwell on increased funding, I would prefer if the witnesses would comment on the flexibility or otherwise of that funding, the application of the funding in a way that oftentimes is rigid and how the flexibility of funding can be dealt with in a way that allows for nothing more than day-to-day planning. Do the witnesses from time to time come across an inflexibility on the matter of funding? If so, how might that be dealt with?

One of the issues in terms of the flexibility of funding may well be investment in a form of longer-term resilience alongside the matter of urgent, necessary and important humanitarian aid and dealing with on-the-ground issues in ensuring that the application of funding is maximised at its ultimate destination.